j u s t o u t ▼ Ju n e 7. 1 9 0 6 ▼ 17
INDEPENDENTLY SPEAKING
5 ^
:
Log cabin rolls over
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by Marvin Liebman
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Brooke Winter, L.Ac.
Jan Corwin, DC
Kip M. Hard, DC
\ Valerie M. Lyon, MS, LMT
^ Suzanne Scopes, ND
Elizabeth Carlson, DC, L.Ac.
Patricia Norris, BS, LMT
£
Under Rich Tafel’s leadership the republican group’s
allegiances have become less clear
the cause of gay Republicans.
oping to raise the profile of gays in
Tafel came to Washington the next day. I
the GOP and change the party’s di­
credit him with taking full advantage of the situ­
rection, Log Cabin Republicans has
ation, condemning the homophobia in the Bush-
made headway by claiming gays
Quayle campaign and in the Republican Party.
belong in both political camps. But
According
to The Washington Post: a “media
the group’s stance on a recent lawsuit against
the
circus had been unleashed. He’s [Franz] become
Republican National Committee indicates the
the latest lightning-rod of Campaign ’92, entering
lengths to which Log Cabinites may be willing to
the world of media politics, the world of charges
go to secure a place at the Republican table. Log
and denials, of Nightline and Larry King Live.”
Cabin’s decision to take the RNC’s side on the
At Franz’s side every moment—sharing the
suit, which charges rampant bias at the party’s
limelight,
the television cameras and the radio
headquarters, also begs the question: Who has
microphones—was Rich Tafel.
changed more since Log Cabin Republicans was
“The evangelicals want the party their way,
launched, the GOP or Log Cabin’s leaders?
and we want it our way,” Tafel told The Washing­
Suing the RNC is Deborah Henson, a former
ton Post. "There is a drumbeat among moderate
fund-raiser for Oliver North who claims her fir­
Republicans that things have got to change. If I
ing from a job in the RNC’s finance office was an
can’t reform the party, then I won’t vote for
act of discrimination. The lawsuit, and two sup­
George Bush.”
porting affidavits by former
Gay Republicans had a
RNC employees, alleges that “It w as n ot unusual during
long-sought national stage
“the RNC maintains a work­
place wherein sexual, racial, m y tenure as a consultant from which to deplore the way
the religious right had taken
hom ophobic, appearance-
to the RNC, to observe,
control of their party. Rich
based and anti-Semitic com­
h ear an d even p a rticip a te
Tafel became a star.
ments, jokes and horseplay are
in
a
g
rea
t
m
any
con
versa­
It was an exciting week, yet
commonplace, tolerated and
encouraged.”
tions an d activities which other people and events soon
eclipsed Tyler Franz. He was
Rich Tafel, executive di­
w
ou
ld
a
p
p
ea
r
to
be
totally
forgotten, but not Rich Tafel.
rector of Log Cabin Republi­
cans, said he did not believe in appropriate, p o litica lly Tafel made tapes of his many
there was a climate of intoler­
in correct an d borderin g on television appearances and
spliced them into a single video.
ance at RNC headquarters.
bigotry.
”—Kym
H
ill
This piece soon became his top
Henson, he said, “was imply­
promotional tool, which he de­
ing that [anti-gay joking] was
ployed at every opportunity. He finally became
condoned and encouraged and I disagree with
that. I’ve never heard that as far as the people I executi ve director of the Washington, D.C. -based
Log Cabin Republicans, which swallowed the
know.” Even if the allegations were true, Tafel
Log Cabin Federation and made Rich Tafel the
suggested, it would be nothing unusual. “Gay
leading spokesman for gay Republicans. The
jokes take place in every office and it’s not right,”
struggle against homophobia in the GOP had a
said Tafel.
stalwart leader. Or did it?
Come on, Rich. First, gay jokes do not take
Tafel’s recent defense of the Republican Na­
place in every office. Second, the people you
tional Committee in the face of objections nearly
know at the RNC would hardly make anti-gay
identical to those he rai sed less than four years ago
remarks to the face of one of the few gay Repub­
is an amazing turnabout. It indicates an undue
lican leaders in town. Your indignation may be
eagerness to become part of the Republican estab­
disarming to some critics unschooled in Log
lishment. In his apparent desperation to be ac­
Cabin’s past. But to me it is embarrassing, given
cepted, he seems to have lost touch with the real
your earlier brushes with the Republican estab­
concerns of American lesbians and gay men— of
lishment. I urge you, and others who may be
any party.
inclined to agree with you, to think back.
The RNC hasn’t really changed in four years.
Remember Tyler Franz? On July 22, 1992,
Among the issues raised by Deborah Henson and
Franz, a longtime gay Republican, filed a com­
the two other former RNC employees who sub­
plaint with the Washington, D.C., Office of Hu­
mitted supporting affidavits were charges that
man Rights stating that, at the urging of the
RNC officials engage in daily use of “lewd, ob­
religious right, he was demoted to a lower posi­
scene and profane language” and that staffers do
tion in the Bush-Quayle campaign because he is
frequent impersonations of “fags” and “homo­
gay-
boys.” One Jewish employee, according to
The campaign’s personnel director called
Henson, was constantly referred to as the “whiny
Franz into his office and told Franz that “due to
Jew-boy.”
ideological differences with the religious right,”
In one of the supporting affidavits, Kym Hill,
some campaign officials wanted him off the Bush-
now a fund-raiser for the Dole campaign, said, “It
Quayle team. The job he was offered would keep
was not unusual during my tenure as a consultant
him away from the public and effectively put him
to the RNC, to observe, hear and even participate
back in the closet, which Franz had strived so
in a great many conversations and activities which
hard to escape.
would appear to be totally inappropriate, politi­
As a result of the demotion, Franz resigned in
cally incorrect and bordering on bigotry.”
“humiliation.”
What has changed, I believe, are Tafel’s tac­
Franz telephoned me asking advice. I imme­
tics and the willingness of Log Cabinites like him
diately notified Rich Tafel in Boston, where he
to defer to discrimination, rather than denounce it.
worked for Gov. William Weld, the Bay State’s
Has the “drum-beat of moderate Republicans that
pro-gay Republican executive. Tafel also served
things have got to change” brought down the
as head of the Log Cabin Federation, a national
walls of intolerance inside the GOP? I think not.
group of gay Republicans, with which I was then
But why not continue the fight against homophobia
associated. I recommended he get down to Wash­
and bigotry in the Republican Party rather than
ington immediately and take over Franz’s fight.
apologizing for it? Why not?
This would be a singular opportunity to promote
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